Scotland could play on Six Nations fallow weekend says tournament chief

Six Nations chiefs have drawn up contingency plans which could see Scotland play on one of the Championship’s “fallow weekends”.

Ben Morel, chief executive of the Guinness Six Nations. Picture: ©INPHO/Guinness Six Nations

Tournament organisers are still seeking clarification over the logistics of France’s participation in the Championship just 10 days before it is scheduled to begin.

Six Nations chief executive Ben Morel is confident travel restrictions to and from the UK will be finalised with the French government which has concerns about the more transmissible strain of the virus prevalent in Britain and Ireland.

The Six Nations has strengthened its coronavirus protocols, including the addition of a second round of testing each week, to help convince Paris that the event can be staged safely.

Trips to European Union destinations Italy and Ireland have been given clearance, but the visit to England and the arrival of Scotland and Wales at the Stade de France are causing complications.

Scotland are due to play Paris on February 28 and may have to isolate for seven days.

When asked about the possibility of Scotland or Wales travelling to Paris a week early in order to fulfil quarantine rules, Morel said: “We are looking at a series of contingencies, but we do not expect to get that problem.

“If that was the case, then Scotland would be playing on fallow weekends and Wales would be coming from Italy, so there are solutions.”

The fallow weekends are February 20-21 and March 6-7.

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